


you are the angel atop my tree, you are my dream come true

by amethystkrystal



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Captain America Sam Wilson, Christmas, Domestic Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:21:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28060830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amethystkrystal/pseuds/amethystkrystal
Summary: Sam and Steve spend Christmastime together through the years
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson
Comments: 7
Kudos: 41
Collections: Star Spangled Secret Santa 2020





	you are the angel atop my tree, you are my dream come true

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cinni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinni/gifts).



> Cinni, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and enjoy this bit of SamSteve softness! Thank you for all the Sam Wilson love and joy you put out into the world!
> 
> Thank you to the mods of the Star Spangled Secret Santa for making this delightful event possible!

**_2014_ **

Sam flicks idly through the TV stations on the crappy motel TV. Steve went out a little while ago to pick up some groceries and supplies, so it's just him. It's not until he stops on a channel playing _It's a Wonderful Life_ that it occurs to him to check the date. He knows it's been a crazy past few weeks, the days blurring together as he and Steve go from state to state, chasing down Barnes and taking down HYDRA bases along the way, but he can't be so distracted that he forgot…

He checks his phone and sure enough, the date reads December 24. Christmas Eve. His Mama's gonna kill him.

Bracing himself, he unlocks his phone and selects her from his contacts. A guilty feeling starts to settle in his chest as he listens to the ring. He feels bad; it's been months since he's seen his family and now to miss the holidays with them… But Captain American needs him, _Steve_ needs him, and besides that, as much as Sam would follow Steve and his handsome jawline and big blue eyes anywhere, what they're doing is important work, _good_ work.

" _Hello?_ "

"Hey Mama." 

" _Oh well look who decided to take some time away from running off with superheroes and call his mother on Christmas Eve._ "

Sam winces. "Merry Christmas to you too. How are you? Is everyone at the house?"

"Oh yeah Sarah and Gideon are here with the kids. We're just about to open presents." Her tone goes soft when she says, "We miss you."

"I know. I miss you too. I'm sorry I couldn't make it this year."

Darlene Wilson just hums. " _Well, I guess you'll just have to make it up to us next year. Maybe bring that Captain America along. You know little Tommy will go crazy over him._ "

Sam laughs, and a warm feeling spreads inside him as he imagines bringing Steve home to his family for Christmas. "I'll make sure it happens. He owes me one."

There's the muffled sound of children shrieking in the background and Darlene lets out an exasperated breath. "All hell's about to break loose if these kids don't get to open their presents in the next five seconds. I love you baby, I'll talk to you soon. Stay safe."

"I love you too. And I'll try."

After he hangs up, Sam leans back against the headboard, feeling a twinge of regret as he imagines his family opening presents and gathering together without him. But then he thinks about next year, about maybe bringing Steve for Christmas, and he's honestly a little embarrassed by how excited he gets at the thought. 

The thing is, he _likes_ Steve. Like, plays Marvin Gaye while waiting at his hospital bedside kind of like. And he's almost positive Steve might be feeling the same way. At least, it felt like that's the trajectory they were on until everything went belly up in D.C. and now they've got more pressing concerns. But Sam can still hope.

Sam gets a few more minutes of wistful imagining before he hears the click of the motel door unlocking and Steve steps into the room. He throws Sam a smile and then sets down the plastic bags he's carrying, unloading food rations and water bottles and… is that _mistletoe_?

There's a blush forming across Steve's cheeks as he walks over, holding up the mistletoe with his index finger. Sam suddenly feels his heart start to race.

Steve sits down beside him. "I figured, since it's Christmas Eve, maybe we could put up a decoration."

"A decoration, huh?"

"Yeah," Steve says softly. "I was thinking maybe this should go right here." He holds his hand up so the mistletoe is right above their heads. "What do you think?"

In answer, Sam does something he's wanted to do for a very long time: he leans forward and kisses Steve right on the lips. Steve lets out a low, happy sound and kisses him right back, putting a hand on Sam's jaw and drawing him in closer. 

When they break apart, they've both got giddy smiles on their faces. Sam jerks his head at the mistletoe still in Steve's hands. "You use that move on all the guys?"

"Just the ones who travel across the country with me to blow up Nazi bases."

Sam laughs, shaking his head in disbelief at this corny dumbass he's fallen head over heels for and leans in to kiss him again.

  
  


**_2024_ **

Steve wakes up at dawn on Christmas morning, feeling jittery and excited. It's like he's a kid again, except this time he's not excited about the presents he's receiving but rather a present he's _giving_.

He put a ring inside Sam's stocking, and even though he has no doubts about what his boyfriend's answer will be, Steve feels like he's about to burst with anticipation.

The boyfriend in question is still snoring beside him, so Steve quietly extricates himself from the bed and heads out to make breakfast. He takes a moment to admire the picturesque scene that is their living room. A tree covered in ornaments, including both hand-me-downs from Sam's parents and some found in an old box of Sarah Rogers' things that the Smithsonian had held onto. Presents stacked for them to bring to Sam's nieces and nephews later that afternoon. Snow-covered woods visible through the window.

They'd bought this little house in upstate New York together shortly after defeating Thanos and Steve had passed the shield on to Sam. They'd wanted a place of their own, away from it all, where they could just _be_.

Steve's gaze falls wistfully on Sam's stocking, and he can't help smiling as he imagines the look on Sam's face, pictures Sam with a ring on his finger. 

An hour later, Sam finally emerges from the bedroom, yawning and stretching. He's wearing a pair of Steve's sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt that says "JUST CHILLIN'" with a picture of a snowman. Steve is hopelessly in love.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

"Merry Christmas," Sam says, a wide grin spreading over his face as he looks down at the spread Steve set out on the table: waffles, eggs, toast, and coffee. "Wow, Rogers, can't even sleep in on a holiday?"

"Well, doesn't look like you mind," Steve says as Sam loads up his plate.

"Oh I most certainly do not."

They take their breakfasts into the living room, and Steve takes their stockings down from the mantle. As he hands Sam his, it takes all of his will to tamper down his excited shaking. Sam, however, doesn't look like he suspects a thing as he takes a long sip of coffee before finally rifling through his stocking.

Steve watches, heart thumping, and then--

"Oh are you fucking serious?!" 

Steve's heart sinks. That's not the elated reaction he was hoping for. Had he gotten this wrong? Was Sam not ready--

The heartbreak must be showing clear on his face because Sam's expression immediately softens and he chuckles. "Aw, babe, no, no, it's not that. Just, look in your stocking."

Bemused, Steve looks into his own stocking. He lets out a quiet gasp when he finds a small, black box, and sure enough, there's a silver ring inside. 

"Oh," he says dumbly and then starts laughing as he looks down at the ring in his hand and then looks up at Sam holding his own ring. "Well, I guess I know what your answer is."

Sam laughs, shaking his head in disbelief. He's blinking and Steve knows that means he's trying not to cry. Sam puts the ring on his finger, and the sight of it makes Steve's heart stutter. Steve puts his own ring on and feels Sam's loving gaze on him as he does. They're going to get _married_ , he thinks giddily, they're going to be _husbands_.

He pulls Sam in for a kiss, and Sam leans into it, wrapping his arms around Steve's back and pulling him closer. Sam's lips taste like maple syrup and coffee and Steve can't believe he gets to have this everyday for the rest of his life. 

**_2026_ **

Steve can't exactly say when or how it started, but somehow, it became a tradition for all the Avengers to come to their house for Christmas Eve. 

This year is particularly special because it's Michael's first Christmas. They adopted him at three months old back in June and even though he hasn't got a clue what's going on, Steve and Sam went all out for him. Beneath their tree are tons of wrapped bundles filled with plushy stuffed animals and brightly colored infant toys to be opened on Christmas morning, and they've got Mikey all dressed up for the Christmas Eve party in his little elf onesie.

Natasha is the first to arrive, and with barely a greeting to Steve and Sam, she reaches over to Mikey and plucks him out of his carrier. 

"Well hello to you too, Nat," Sam says.

"Listen I had to get to him first; you know Bucky never lets him go once he's got him." Natash tickles Mikey's tummy and coos, "I have to get to you first, huh? Because Uncle Bucky doesn't like to share".

After that, the rest of the crowd gradually starts to trickle in: Tony and Pepper and little Morgan who goes wide eyed at baby Mikey, Clint and all the rest of the Bartons, Wanda and Vision, Thor, Bucky, Rhodey and Bruce.

There's more than enough food to go around -- Sam cooked all his mother's classic Christmas dishes and Steve's gotten pretty good at baking pies and cakes in the last few years he's been retired. And of course with Tony in attendance, there's more than enough alcohol. Thor even brought some of the good stuff from off planet, so Steve and Bucky can get a little tipsy too.

When the time comes for them to settle down and exchange gifts, Steve notices out of the corner of his eye that Bucky has a bit of a mischief in his expression and he nudges him with his elbow. "What's got you so excited?"

"Nothing," Bucky says quickly. "Must be Thor's mead."

"Uh huh." Steve is unconvinced, but he figures he'll find out soon enough.

He's in the middle of opening one of his own presents -- a sleek drawing tablet from Tony -- when it happens. 

"Are you fucking kidding me Barnes?" Sam cries and Steve jerks his head up to see his husband with his mouth agape. Steve can't quite tell if it's in horror or awe -- or both. He cranes his neck to see what's causing so much commotion.

There in his husband's lap is a Sam Wilson as Captain American tree topper. It is perhaps the best thing Steve has seen in his entire life.

"Where the hell did you find this?" Sam says, a huge smile on his face even as he shakes his head.

"Saw it at one of those mall kiosks. Couldn't resist."

"Well, shit, I'm gonna put it on the tree right now."

As Sam gets up, Mikey starts babbling from his spot on Bucky's lap, his chubby arms reaching towards Sam. "Da da da!"

Steve follows Mikey's line of sight, and with a warm feeling settling in his heart, he realizes exactly what his son wants. 

Sam turns around and crouches down in front of Mikey, beaming as he offers the Captain America figure. Mikey seizes it gleefully -- "da da DA!!" -- and immediately puts his whole mouth around one of Tree Topper Sam's wings. 

Steve and Sam exchange a look, fond and warm and familiar, and Steve can't think of a better way for their baby to spend his very first Christmas.

**_2031_ **

"Dammit, Steve, have you seen my shield?"

"Hey, language!" Steve says with exaggerated appall as he leans over to where their infant daughter is currently making a mess of her breakfast and covers her ears. Maya just keeps on gurgling and smashing her sweet potato. 

As cute as his husband and daughter are, Sam doesn't have time for this. His Avengers pager is beeping incessantly -- something about mutated rats all over Hell's Kitchen?? -- and he got halfway into his star-spangled suit before he realized his shield was nowhere to be found.

Steve seems to realize the seriousness of the situation because he frowns and asks, "You really can't find it?"

"I looked all over our bedroom, in the hallway closet. I don't know where else it could be."

"Did you ask Mikey? You know how he's been getting into everything lately."

Sam mutters a curse under his breath as he finishes tugging the sleeves of his suit into place. Steve's right, their five-year-old son has been going through a phase of taking things he knows he's not supposed to. 

Before Sam can even ask, Steve jerks his head toward the window above the sink. "He's outside playing in the snow."

With a sigh Sam heads outside. Their whole yard is blanketed in white from the storm last night, glistening and pristine. It takes him a moment to find Mikey, but then he sees him, toddling up the hill near the tree line, looking like a marshmallow in his winter coat and holding a round sled. 

As Sam walks over, Mikey reaches to the top of the hill and Sam gets a clear view of his sled and realizes it's not a sled at all. It's the Captain America shield.

Sam plants himself at the bottom of the hill and when Mikey slides down to his feet, Sam looms over him, arms crossed with a disappointed look on his face.

"Now I know you know better than to take Daddy's superhero things."

Mikey doesn't meet his eyes as he mutters, "I just thought it would make me go faster."

"You hear this?" Sam says, holding out his Avengers beeper, which is still going off. "It means someone needs my help. But I can't go without my shield, and if I have to spend a whole bunch of time looking for it, the longer it will take me to get to the people who need help."

Mikey's lower lip starts wobbling and he clambers out of the shields. Sam has to work hard to keep up his Stern Parent Face. For all his troublemaking, Mikey's got a soft heart. It's no wonder where he got that from.

Sam brushes the snow off and secures the shield in it's harness. He bends down to Mikey's level. "Can Daddy have a big hug before he goes?"

Mikey wraps his little arms around Sam's neck and Sam squeezes him tight. He loves him so much, even when he uses his one-of-a-kind superhero equipment for winter sports. 

"Tell you what," Sam says when they break apart. "If you're a good boy for Papa today and help him with Maya, I'll see about Santa getting you your own super fast sled."

"Really!?" Mikey's face lights up brighter than the Christmas tree currently in their living room.

"Only if you're good," Sam reminds him, making a mental note to ask Shuri about making a vibranium sled. He tousles his hair and then stands up and heads back into the house.

Steve is still in the kitchen, wiping down Maya's face with a washcloth as she babbles. "You find it?"

"Yep. Your son was using it as a sled."

"Oh, he's just my son now?"

"That's right. Only a Rogers would pull a stunt like that."

Steve just laughs and then goes over to Sam, pulling him into a tight hug. "Be safe."

"Always am." They kiss short and sweet, and then when they break away, Sam kisses Maya's cheek. And then he's off.

[](https://ibb.co/p1wVy77)


End file.
